“Something the pakeha taught me, if you want to be around for a long time, don’t be greedy.”

He was speaking mid afternoon on Tuesday and all 19 of his tables were full.

A Chinese tour bus had just left with 22 people on board all eating hot fish ‘n’ chips, savouring a New Zealand experience.

“When the cruise ships come in we’ll have 18 or 20 for breakfast and they’re back for lunch.”

“Great tasting fresh fish and chips served on trays at the waterfront,” Jennie Gutry posted on Bobby’s website. “Great value and one of the best fish and chip meals I’ve had in New Zealand. They even had vinegar! Popular for a reason.”

“You can choose your own fresh fish and get it cooked there and then,” said another. “It is a place we usually take overseas visitors for real kiwi kai.”

My own favourite is Kilbirnie Fish and Chips in Wellington owned by hard working Chinese couple Pek Lin and Pihong Yang that always uses the underrated blue warehou. Huckle and Co in Seatoun, previously the awfully named Greasy Groper, has lifted its game. In Nelson it’s hard to go past Haven Fish and Chips on Wakefield Quay and The Smokehouse on Mapua Wharf is superb, as long as you don’t mind waiting. Lesser known ribaldo and elephantfish were fish of the day on recent visits.

There is nothing more Kiwi than fish and chips and everyone has their favourite.

Even the heavily promoted American-based hamburger and chicken chains cannot beat that tradition.